Austin To See Increased Playing Time

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Head coach Wade Phillips said in his press conference today that, after a 10-catch, 250 yard, two touchdown performance, receiver Miles Austin will see an increased workload--as far as being a named starter though, the fourth-year Monmouth product will have to wait.

Phillips refused to call Austin a starter, although he allowed that Austin would get about as many plays in two weeks against Atlanta as he did as a starter against Kansas City, seemingly making this a strictly nominal debate. As far as Austin's record-breaking performance on Sunday, Phillips seemed unsurprised.

"He did the things we thought he could," Phillips said. "You're not going to make 250 yards every time, but he's going to have a chance to make big plays again."

"Big plays" might actually be an understatement. On Sunday, in his first career start, Austin had a 59-yard touchdown reception to give the Cowboys what turned out to be a short-lived lead in the fourth quarter; in overtime, he grabbed a 60-yarder to end the contest.

Both runs illustrated Austin's considerable playmaking abilities, and it was enough for some fans to call for his being a permanent starter.

As it stands, Austin will remain the number three receiver, behind Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton, but with an ostensibly larger role in the offense.